


Sketch Therapy

by Athena_Huskey213



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Blood, Fluff, M/M, Nightmares, Romance, Swearing, Unsympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Violence, mention of thomas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:47:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21783163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Athena_Huskey213/pseuds/Athena_Huskey213
Summary: Roman can't help but do his Princey duty, but what if that duty is the cause of the distress?
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 15
Kudos: 26





	1. Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> some blood and panic mentioned along with some death
> 
> Don't worry, it's not for forever.

_"Remus...please stop..." Virgil gasped for breath in between his words. "I'm...sorry..."_

_Remus was holding Virgil by the throat and was slowly lifting him off the ground. Remus' devilish grin grew wider and was almost spreading ear to ear as Virgil grew pale._

_"You never should have left."_

_It wasn't until Virgil was about to pass out that Remus released. Virgil fell to his knees and rubbed at his neck as he took in deep breaths. Remus summoned his mace and slammed it onto Virgil's back. Virgil fell, the air having been knocked out of him. He coughed as he tried to push himself up. Arms shaking in their weakened state as he slowly rose. Remus cackled and kicked him in the head. He then harshly flipped Virgil over so he was lying on his back. He grabbed Virgil by the collar of his shirt and slowly lifted him. As we was pulled higher and higher, Virgil's hoodie began to slip off and it fell onto the ground, leaving his arms bare._

_"Feeling depressed lately, eh Virgil?" Remus commented upon seeing the scars on Vigil's arms. He waved his hand and summoned Roman's trusted sword._

* * *

_Roman's sword disappeared from her usual sitting place in Roman's room. Only one other side had the power to do that._

_"REMUS!" Roman raced out of his room to find the hallways empty._ Strange, Remus can't go into anybody room's. He should be right here. _He turned to go inform Logan_ _about the disappearance of his sword when he_ _noticed a...light(?) coming from Virgil's room. He tip toed to the door and pressed his ear against it. From beyond it he hear muffled voices._

_"Too bad your little Prince isn't here to save you."_

_It was Remus, and he was probably threatening Virgil. Roman quickly opened the door just in time to witness blood be shed._

_Remus pulled the sword out of Virgil and smiled as the lifeless body slumped to the floor. A pool of blood began to slowly grow and soak into Virgil's clothes as he coughed up what little blood was still left in him._

_"...Virgil..." A rush of adrenaline began to course through Roman. "Virgil!" He ran to the Side, put both hands over the wound, and applied pressure. "Don't you die on me!"_

_"I wouldn't be saving him if I was you." Remus's voice came from behind. The sound of a sworn clattering on the floor echoed throughout the room. "He's done things that, if you knew about it, you'd want to kill him too." Roman grabbed the sword and swung it behind him. It phased through Remus and because of the blood on the handle, slipped out of Roman's hand. It flew until it stabbed and pinned Virgil to the wall._

_"Virgil!" Roman ran to his side, and leaving the bleeding out Virgil on the floor. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Oh no, no, no, no!" Virgil smiled as if to tell him that everything was going to be alright. Roman tired to see through the tears in his eyes, but his vision was too blurry. The dying Virgil shakily moved his arm and pointed to something behind Roman before the last of his blood oozed out and he died._

_Roman reluctantly turned around. There was a loud snap noise as a Virgil was dropped from the ceiling and his neck was broken. Roman covered his mouth out of shock as his gazed quickly shifted between the three dying Virgils._

_"Roman..." They spoke in unison. "Roman...Roman...Roman!" Roman covered his ears and fell to his knees. Virgil's blood slowly began to soak into the fabric of his pants. His blood was still warm. All of the Virgils turned their heads to him, some twisting their necks all the way around, with their eyes beginning to glow yellow._

_"ROMAN!"_

* * *

Roman woke in a cold sweat and came face to face with a very alive Virgil.

"V-Virgil?"


	2. Nightmares...again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman goes back to sleep like an idiot. Didn't you learn from your last nightmare?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My good pal nyanwhal_05 is my Virgil in this chapter...and probably in all my future chapters. I can't write Virgil to save my life.
> 
> Also, I wont always put warnings at the beginning. I tend to forget things. Some blood, death, and gore mentioned. Plus a nightmare and some panic. Yay

"Virgil...?" Virgil let go of Roman's shoulders. Roman rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the dark. "Virgil?"

"Yeah, who else?" Roman shrugged as he sat up. "Are you okay? You were talking and moving around a lot." Virgil stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I don't think I need anymore evidence to know that you were having a nightmare. Should I, uh...go get Pat?" Roman messed with his hair and shrugged again.

"I don't think so. I'm awake now, and that's what matters, right?" Virgil rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I guess. You were just saying my name a bunch so..." He clicked his tongue and looked away. Roman closed his eyes as images of Virgil dying replayed themselves over and over. He shook his head as he forced the images out of his head. He looked to Virgil with a fake smile on his face.

"Maybe I was blaming you for the nightmare." Virgil looked back to Roman with a small glare on his face.

"I wasn't doing anything though. Well, maybe subconsciously, but do you really peg me as that type of person?" He raised an eyebrow at Roman. Now it was Roman's turn to awkwardly rub the back of his neck. 

"Well, no. But there must be some reason you were in my dream." He checked the clock at the side of the bed. _Damn, it's almost three._ "Did I wake you with my dreams?"

"I guess. If you got scared enough then maybe. I rarely get sleep anyway, so don't worry about it." Roman noticed that Virgil began to rub his side with a painful expression on his face. Strange that he was rubbing just below where he had been stabbed in Roman's nightmare. Virgil must have noticed his staring. "I woke up with a pain in my side, geez."

"Oh...that's strange." Roman started to trace the lines on his hands; tracing them over and over again. "Do you think you'll be able to fall back asleep?" What a stupid question to ask Virgil. Of course _he_ wouldn't go back to sleep. The question seemed more directed to himself. Like he was asking himself, _Will I be able to fall asleep after watching my friend die over and over again? I could have saved him if I had just been a little faster._ His thoughts were interrupted by a faux laugh from Virgil.

"You do know who you're talking to, right?" Virgil continued to sarcastically laugh until looking at the ground and silencing himself. "You sure you don't want Patton? You still look really shaken." Roman scoffed at him.

"I think I can take care of myself, Emo Nightmare." Virgil tensed and Roman mentally scolded himself for teasing him. It wasn't original, but was it necessary? Virgil glared at him and put his hands up in defense.

"Just making sure you're okay, Sir Sings-a-lot." He shoved his hands back into his pockets. His glare softened as he seemed to be in deep thought. Roman flopped back onto his bed.

"Since when do you care?"

"I tend to care when my sleep is interrupted."

"Since when do you sleep?" Virgil opened his mouth to argue but closed it again.

"Touché Princey." Roman laughed to himself and sat up again.

"'Touché', that is beautiful. Do you even know what touché means?" Virgil scoffed.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I? I'm not as dumb as you, Theater Nerd." Roman placed an overdramatic hand over his chest.

"We are not 'dumb'. We, my fellow theater nerd and I, are actually quite cultured." Virgil gave him a look of unamusement. Roman crossed his arms across his chest. "Well, if you're such a smarty pants, what does it mean? Hmm?"

"It's what you say when somebody else brings up a good point in a conversation or something." Virgil copied Roman's stance smugly. Roman tilted his head to the side.

"That's...kind of right. Touché means touch. It comes from fencing. When you touch the other fencer the referee with shout touché. You say it when someone touches a solid point in a conversation. _So_ close Virgil, and yet, so far." Virgil angrily pointed at Roman.

"Actually, there are multiple definitions, so my point still stands." Virgil smirked and crossed his arms again. "Try again, sweetie." Roman let a cocky grin slowly grow on his face.

"Did you say 'sweetie'?" Virgil turned a slight shade of pink. Roman got out of bed and stood next to Virgil. Virgil hid his face. "What's that supposed to mean, hmm?"

"Ugh, nothing. Don't read into it or anything, geez." He took a step back and turned his back to Roman.

"Hmm, well then." Roman grabbed Virgil by the sides and threw him onto his bed. "You. Sleep. I'm pretty sure my bed is softer than yours, and easier to sleep in. I'm going to get water." Roman turned at left the shocked Virgil in his room. He closed the door behind him and was immediately taken over with fear. _What if I'm still sleeping?_

Roman headed down the hallway with caution. Anything could happen in a nightmare. He slid his hand against the wall as he headed to the stairs. He paused outside of Virgil's room. The door seemed to slowly open as he stared at it. Overcome with fear he quietly ran back to his room. He grabbed the doorknob but paused. There were footsteps coming from inside his room. Someone was in there. Last Roman remembered, Virgil was in his bed, probably asleep. So, if Virgil was asleep, who was in his room? Or was Roman wrong and Virgil decided to give himself a tour of Roman's room? Either way, Roman didn't like the thought of it. But, he didn't want to open the door in fear that he'd see another dying Virgil. Roman slumped against the door and slunk to the ground. He curled up and hugged his knees. What should he do?

Roman sat there, listening to the footsteps. Whoever was in there was walking around a lot. Roman waited until all he could hear was his shallow breathing. The footsteps had stopped. Whoever was inside decided to go to his bed. Roman knew his room like the back of his hand, so he knew exactly where they had stopped. Virgil was on his bed.

Roman stood up slowly, hoping not to make a noise. He slowly turned the doorknob and opened the door. No one was there. Not as far as he could see. Roman summoned his sword and slowly walked into his room. Sword at the ready he took a quick look around. He couldn't find anyone. He exhaled with relief and put his sword away. Maybe they left while he was looking for them. He turned back to his bed which looked very welcoming. Even better, there was a small collection of pillows on his bed waiting to be cuddled. Roman settled himself in his bed and wrapped his arm around the pile of fluff. Little had he known, that small pile was Virgil finally sleeping.

* * *

_Roman opened his eyes and found he was back in Virgil's room. He was still standing next to a Virgil pinned to the wall. He closed his eyes and pushed away the urge to vomit. He kept his eyes to the ceiling as he tried exiting the room. Not watching where he was going, he tripped over something and fell to the ground. He looked behind him to see what he tripped on and paled when he realized it was Virgil. Still very much dead. Roman quickly scrambled to his feet and raced to the door. He swung it open and came face to face with Remus' mace. He ducked just in time as Remus swung it forward. Roman ducked between his legs and tripped Remus on his way through. Remus came down and faceplanted into his weapon. Roman covered his mouth as Remus began to bleed._ I just killed my brother. _Roman took a moment of silence to morn his death before rising to his feet and continuing onward to his room._

 _He grabbed the knob and realized it was wet. Roman reluctantly looked at his hand. It was covered in blood. As was the knob, and most of his door. How come he didn't see it sooner? Roman burst through his door to find Virgil torn open on the floor. Patton, Logan, and Deceit were all pinned to the wall by Remus' throwing knives with tape over their mouths. Patton looked as if he'd been crying and Logan was doing his best to comfort him. Deceit was frozen with a look of betrayal in his face._ What happened here?

_Virgil groaned all everyone turned their attention to him. Why wasn't he dead? Patton began to cry again, Logan looked utterly shocked, and Deceit looked as if he was trying to yell something to Roman. Roman ignored them and ran to Virgil._

_"Virgil...how are you alive?"_

_"I could ask you the same thing." Deceit seemed to manage to get the tape off of his mouth. He struggled to help Logan as he yelled out to Roman._

_"LOOK OUT!"_

_Roman felt a sharp pain in his chest. Virgil had summoned an obsidian sword and ran him through._

* * *

Virgil had slammed his body into Roman's and he woke from the sudden pain. 


	3. Back to the Closet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil and Roman seek help from Patton and go back into the closet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Panic and blood.  
> Sorry for the long wait. I've been trying to work on it, but haven't really felt motivated lately. But, nyanwhal_05 kept getting at me for it, so here ya go.

Virgil launched himself into Roman's chest and he woke with a gasp. Roman noticed he was gripping onto Virgil and moved his hands to wipe his eyes. Obviously trying to hide the fact that he had been crying. Virgil shifted his shoulders and subconsciously began to rub Roman's arm. Patton would rub Virgil's arms whenever he would have a nightmare, so Virgil was just used to it as a coping process. Roman couldn't seem to find words, but his mouth opened and closed hopelessly trying.

"Prince, something's wrong." Roman began to shake his head but Virgil held his head still. "We're going to see Patton, whether you want to or not." Virgil sat up and struggled to pull Roman to the same position. Roman pulled back but Virgil persisted. He pulled with a strange amount of force and Roman was flung to his feet. Roman stood dazed for a minute. Not coming back to earth until Virgil started to pull him toward the doorway. Roman struggled against Virgil's grip and began to protest. Virgil ignored and continued to drag him along.

Roman tried dragging his feet and digging his heels into the floor but it was no use. The frail Virgil was actually managing to pull Roman along. Roman gripped onto the doorway and Virgil was pulled back.

"I'm fine, I swear!" Roman winced at the echo from the hallway. He had yelled louder than he expected. "Virgil, I'm fine." Virgil glared. "All I need to do is not sleep! I can't be too hard, I mean, you do it all the time!"

"Yeah, because I'm an insomniac. Besides, you're the one who keeps emphasizing about how you need your 'beauty sleep'." Roman placed a hand on his chest and scoffed. Virgil took the opportunity of Roman not being tethered down to give him one big tug.

Roman exclaimed as he flew forward. And, thanks to Virgil's ability to teleport, they appeared right outside of Patton's door. Roman felt dizzy and nearly collapsed against the wall. He had never teleported before. The closest he actually got was sinking in and out, but this was different. This was Virgil's strange dark side magic.

"Patton?" Virgil lightly knocked. Less then two seconds later Patton opened the door and pulled Virgil and Roman into his room.

Patton was dressed in unusual pajamas. He usually wore his cat onesie, but instead he was wearing a over sized t-shirt and some sweatpants. He was blind to Roman without his glasses on, but seemed to recognized Virgil's blur of a figure. Patton was hugging Virgil and rubbing his back.

"Oh Kiddo! I felt like something was off, are you okay? Did you have another nightmare? Do you want cuddles?" Patton tightened his hug and didn't loosen up until Virgil coughed. "Oh, sorry kiddo." Patton laughed nervously to himself and let go. He adjusted glasses that weren't there and finally noticed the blurry blob standing next to Virgil. Patton rushed to his bed and returned later with glasses on his face.

"Roman?" Patton looked back and forth between Roman, Virgil, and the hands being held. "What's going on?"

Virgil snatched his hand away from Roman. "Roman's been having night terrors." Roman huffed and stomped his foot.

"Am not!" A creak came from the hallway and Roman immediately latched back onto Virgil's arm. Virgil scoffed and Roman gripped tighter, probably not planning on letting go anytime soon. Roman struggled for words.

"I-I'll be fine! Twas o-only a teeny, tiny nightmare." Even as Roman said the word, images from his recent terror replayed in his mind. He swallowed nothing and his breathing picked up in pace. Patton noticed and had him and Virgil sit on his bed covered in pillows and stuffed animals.

"How about you kiddos sit here and calm down while I go grab us some hot chocolate?" Patton smiled as he tried to ease the tension. He held a finger to his lips. "Don't tell Logan, okay?" Patton's smile faltered as the atmosphere only seemed to get worse. Patton gave Roman a small hug before he headed out of his room.

Roman spaced out as he stared at the wall. He wanted to stop the images from flickering in his mind, but he couldn't seem to look away. If he looked to the side, he would only find another wall and space out again. If he looked to the other side...He couldn't bare to look at Virgil at the moment.

Roman felt a shift in the bed's weight as Virgil stood and knelt in front of him. Virgil shook him and called something, but Roman couldn't hear over the ringing in his ears. Virgil wasn't Virgil anymore. Every time he opened his mouth, blood spilled out. His shirt looked as if it were getting heavier with how much blood it was soaking up. Roman looked down at his hands to find them covered in blood. Roman forced his eyes shut and he was suddenly overwhelmed with sound.

"Roman!" Roman jumped violently and accidentally kneed Virgil's chin. Virgil groaned and held his hand to his mouth. He took a few steps back and Roman frantically apologized. Virgil shoved him away and tried not to swallow blood.

The smack to his chin had caused him to bite his tongue, which was now bleeding. Virgil cursed and spit blood into his hand. Roman paled at the sight. He slowly pulled a handkerchief out of nowhere and offered it slowly to Virgil. Who, in return, swore again, but accepted the piece of cloth. He held it to his mouth as Roman slowly walked into a corner.

"Virge, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump like that." Virgil tried to hiss as a response, but choked. Roman opened the door closest to him, opened it, and rushed inside. He was greeted by a mouthful of cloth. He had run into Patton's closet.

Virgil held the handkerchief to his mouth until the bleeding stopped. The taste of iron still lingered and he wished that Patton would return soon. He'd rather have his mouth burning because of a hot beverage rather then his blood. He turned to return Roman's not white anymore cloth, only to see he was gone. Virgil began to panic.

Roman leaned against the door and slid to the floor. He hid his face in his hands and pushed them against his knees. He had to push everything away from him. Anytime something brushed against him his overactive imagination would trigger and he would probably do something stupid like scream.

There was one time when Virgil had decided to use Roman's imagination against him. He was upstairs with Patton and they played the sound of different bird calls. Roman was downstairs and could only hear a muffled version of the sounds and his imagination exploded. Lets say, it ended with Roman running up the stairs with his sword drawn yelling 'DRAGONWITCH I WILL SLAY THEE!'. Roman lightly chuckled at the memory then began to cry.

Virgil heard a noise come from the closet. He was about to run but something compelled him to stay. He listened for a minute and recognized the sounds as sobs. He slowly crept towards the door and knocked.

"Ro?" The sobs quieted but couldn't be silenced. "Hey, I know you're in there. Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, yes. But what else is he supposed to do? Tap dance and sing? With no response from Roman Virgil just decided to continue talking.

"You should probably get out of the closet so Patton can, you know, have his room back." Nothing. Virgil sighed and turned his back towards the door. He slumped against it and sunk to the ground. He sat there for a few minutes just listening to Roman's sobs. It was another while before he decided to talk again.

"I'm sorry." Silence. Roman stopped crying. "Sorry for dragging you out of bed and over here. Sorry for bothering you about your nightmare. And I'm sorry if Remus has anything to do with this." Small shuffles from inside. "I bet he does." There was a cough from the closet and Roman sounded like he was tried to hold back the urge to cry again.

"I'll just be going then." Virgil stood. "Have fun being in the closet again Princey." Virgil smirked at his joke. It wasn't funny, but Patton would be proud of it. A small voice came from the closet.

"P-please don't do." Roman's voice was raw and barely more than a whisper. Virgil didn't respond and just sat on the floor again. "Are you still there Brenden Eerie?"

"Yeah, Ro. Yeah."

"Okay...good."

"Do you... Do you want to come out so we can talk?" Virgil waited. Roman was taking to long to answer. "Ro? Are you coming out?"

"I'm gay."

Virgil could practically feel Roman's smile. Virgil stood and opened the door. Roman fell with an oof. Roman looked up and glared. Virgil returned the look and offered a hand out to Roman. He took it and stood, but pulled Virgil into the closet with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See. The chapters get longer as we go. I told you.  
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work posted anywhere, so any constructive criticism is welcome! Sorry for the short chapter, but I promise they will get longer as we go. I'll try to post the next chapter(s) when I find the time, and thank you for reading!


End file.
